


Can We Always Be This Close?

by Yourstolose



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Katara needs a day off, M/M, Self-Esteem Issues, Sokka is a supportive boyfriend, Zuko plays the violin, and a vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:47:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29368743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yourstolose/pseuds/Yourstolose
Summary: Sokka and Zuko have been living off-campus in an apartment for a year now, but are nothing more than roommates. Very, very close roommates. One-Shot in which Katara breaks it to Sokka and Zuko that they are in love with each other.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Suki/Yue (Avatar)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 92





	Can We Always Be This Close?

**Author's Note:**

> I have not gone over this to check for spelling/grammar mistakes. If you see any, please, keep it to yourself.

Watching Zuko on that stage, Sokka doesnt think he has ever seen something so beautiful. His fingers moved across the violin like water flowing through a stream. He seemed so relaxed and at ease, like the spotlight was where he was born to be. There had to be over a thousand people in the college auditorium, but to Sokka, it was just him and Zuko. When the song was over, he leapt out of his seat, yelling at the top of his lungs. 

After a ten minute standing ovation, the audience settles down and Sokka sits back down on the velvet cushions, remembering what Zuko told him about meeting them at their seats. 

“You’re in love with him aren't you?” He jumps at the sound of Katara’s voice. For the entire performance, he had genuinely forgotten she was there. 

“Who?”

“Ummm Zuko….The boy you have been staring at for the past hour without blinking.” 

He turns towards her, “I’m not in love with him.” 

“You’re not?” A shadow of a smile plays across her lips.

“No, I mean, do I think of him for most hours of the day? Yes. Do I sometimes think about how amazing it would feel to brush my fingers through his hair? Of course. Do I ever wonder what it would be like to kiss him slowly and hold him in my arms, laying him gently on our bed? Obviously, look at him. But am I in love with him? No. We are just roommates. It’s not like--”

“Wait did you say, “our bed?” 

“Well, yeah. It’s a one bedroom apartment. What are we supposed to do?” He looks at her as if she had grown a third eye. 

“Uh I don't know, get twin beds?” 

“Ok, but we like to cuddle. How are we both supposed to fit in a twin bed? You are starting to sound really stupid, Katara.” For a moment, she is very happy there is an arm rest between them. Otherwise, she may not have been able to stop herself from slapping her brother across the face. 

She rubs her temples, “God, I really can't do this today. The fact that you got into an ivy league still blows my mind. Ok, let me spell this out for you: that’s a relationship. You are literally just describing what it is like to be in a relationship.” 

He looks at her dumbfounded. 

“Well, it wasn't like this with either Yue and Suki.”  
“And which two exes of yours found out that they are lesbians while dating you?” 

“Yue and Suki.” He says sheepishly. 

She puts a hand on his shoulder, “Let me ask you this, who do you see yourself beside in twenty years? Who do you want to see first thing in the morning for the rest of your life?”

“Well, Zuko of course.” 

“Sokka, that’s love. You love him.”

There’s a beat of silence and then, 

“Oh my god--You're right.”

He buries his head in Katara’s shoulder. 

“What do I do? Do I tell Zuko? What if this ruins our entire friendship? What if he never speaks to me again?” She can tell he’s on the verge of tears so she saves her mocking for later. Instead, she runs a hand through his hair, trying to get him to calm down. 

“Sokka, his family owns a multi-billion dollar company. He could buy an entire mansion, yet he shares a tiny apartment and a king sized bed with you. I think you are fine.” 

“It’s actually a queen.” He says in a muffled voice. 

“Sorry about that. Are you guys ready to go- oh is everything okay?” Sokka immediately perks up at the sound of his voice, seemingly forgetting the emotional breakdown he was just having. 

He jumps up and kisses Zuko on the cheek. “Great job today! You were spectacular up there, babe.” Katara did not think Zuko’s smile could have gotten any brighter, but the praise of her dumbass brother makes him absolutely shine with happiness. 

“Uh, yeah Zuko, you were really, really good!” 

He turns towards her, seemingly forgetting she was there as well. 

“Thanks, Katara! Should we head to the Jasmine Dragon? Uncle wants us to try a new tea has created.” 

Sokka reaches towards him and intertwines their fingers. 

“Yeah, that sounds great.” He says with a voice filled with so much adoration that seems to be only reserved for Zuko.  
She smiles at the two idiots who are so hopelessly in love.  
…..

It was Friday game night with the gaang, minus Suki who had, as she described, a “hot date.” that was most definitely Yue. They were all huddled around the table playing an intense game of Uno while Zuko was making dinner. Sokka looks over at Katara, who gives him a slight nod. 

He slides the door to the kitchen, and sits on the countertop watching as Zuko adds the steaming noodles. He takes a deep breathe in, 

“Zuko, I love you.”

“Aww, I love you too, honey.” He says absentmindedly. He grabs the bowl of green onions, before pausing, “Do you want green onions in your Miso Soup?”

Sokka slides off the counter and grabs his hand, “No, but I mean I'm in love with you. And yes please. ”

Zuko breaks contact to open the refrigerator, “Of course. I love you too.” He sticks his head out of the kitchen, “Aang, should I add tofu to your bowl or do you want to go without.”

“Ah, tofu is great. Sokka, are you really going to do this with us here?” 

With a defeated sigh, Sokka takes a seat back at the table and gives Katara a little shrug. 

“Do what while you are here?” Zuko asks as he sets their bowls on the table. 

Katara opens her arms and gestures to the empty chair beside her, “Zuko, can you sit down with us?”

“Ahhh yeah sure?”

Shedding his apron, he makes his way to the table and takes a seat on Sokka’s lap.

Katara looks like she’s about to say something, but decides it's not worth it. She reaches out and grabs his hands. 

“You love Sokka.” 

He stares at her blankly, as if she had just stated the most obvious fact. 

“As in a romantic way. Like you want to be with him, boyfriend and boyfriend.” 

“I do?”

“Yes.” They all chorus back.

“I didn't believe it at first either, babe, but I think she has a point.” He says while holding Zuko around the waist. 

He stands back up, pacing around the table.

“I guess Sokka and I have always been close, but I don't think it’s like that, right? I mean, sure we do spend most of our time together, and go on what our heteronormative culture would call, “dates.” And fine I would occasionally jerk him off our first year in college, but his arm was broken. What was I supposed to do, Katara??” 

“Couldn't he just use his other hand? Toph asks. 

“Not the point!” Katara interjects before he can make up a response. 

“Do you love Sokka the same as you love any of us?

Zuko doesn't skip a beat before answering, “Well of course not, Sokka is my best friend.” 

“That’s just hurtful.” Toph mutters through a mouthful of soup. 

“I think what Katara is trying to explain is that love can seem a lot like friendship, and often we don't even realize that our feelings have shifted into something more.” Aang says, not looking up from his cards. 

Zuko stares at him.

“But nothing ever shifted. I have always felt this way about Sokka. My feelings for him have never changed.”

Aang reaches out and grabs Zuko’s arm to stop his pacing, “Do you think maybe that you have been in love with Sokka from the beginning? I mean, when Sokka got together with Jet didn't you call me like every single day, crying, telling me how wrong they were for each other? And maybe why all of your relationships never last longer than three months?” 

“I’ve just always had bad luck when it comes to guys.”

“And who do you think makes that bad luck? Perhaps the reason you always pick guys who won't last is because you don't want them to. Because at the end of the day, there is only one person you do want to come home to.”

Zuko retracts his hand and looks down at the floor. 

“It’s true, isn't it?” He turns to Sokka, 

“I love you, don’t I? Like love you, love you.” 

He gives him a sideways smile and nods.

Katara and Aang stand up, gathering their board games with them. 

“Well, our work here is done. Let’s give them some space. C’mon Toph.”

“But it was just getting good!” Katara grabs her hand and leads them out of the apartment. 

"So is this going to be super awkward now? Are we going to have to purchase twin beds and never so much as glance at each other?" Zuko's trying to make a joke, but Sokka can read the nervousness in his voice. 

"How would we sleep with each other in two separate beds? I mean, maybe we could like be together? Like for real?" 

"You would really want to do that?" He looks towards him in disbelief. 

“More than anything. You are everything to me, Zuko.” 

His face breaks into a smile. He grabs Sokka and kisses him ferociously, leaning into his embrace. 

Sokka kisses him back. He brushes his lips against his scarred cheek, then his nose and his eyelids before finally giving him a deep kiss on the mouth. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” He murmurs. 

Zuko wraps his arms around Sokka and rests his head into his chest.“So now that we are together, what do we do?

“I think the same thing we have been doing for the past three years.” He brushes their intertwined fingers with his lips and kisses each knuckle. 

“Should be easy enough.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! You are the best!


End file.
